Fulong Temple Introduction
The history of Fulong Temple in Kehuli, Zhudong Township dates back to the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty. In 1834, the Tamsui official Li Siyuan was appointed to authorize Jiang Xiuluan from Guangdong to cultivate the southeastern mountains of Zhuzhan. With official financial support of 1,000 taels of silver, and assistance from a Fujianese named Zhou Bangzheng, known as Bajian, they gathered funds from people in Fujian and Guangdong, forming a joint cultivation effort referred to as "Jin Guang Fu" (金廣福) for official resources and "Keng Hao" (墾號) for local residents. During that time, the Kehuli area was surrounded by mountains forming a central basin with dense forests. The indigenous people, situated in elevated areas, were hard to attack, while the low-lying outskirts made it difficult for cultivation teams to enter Kehuli. They had to change their approach by entering through Sanjiao City, a smaller locality named "Xi Xian Cai" (細咸菜細甕), and target the Shuqilin indigenous area. One night, the indigenous people witnessed three kings descending from the sky with troops, which terrified them, leading to a complete retreat overnight. In the following period, Han people entered Kehuli, and legends attributed the appearance of the three kings to the manifestation of the San Shan Guo Wang, leading to the establishment of a simple temple, the "Wang Ye Miao" (王爺廟), to honor the deities. Discussions between Jiang and Zhou families led to an agreement that leftover land around the temple would be used to maintain offerings, which were referred to as "Wang Ye Chang" during Japanese rule. As Han settlers cultivated fertile rice paddies in the area, prosperity followed due to spiritual protection, resulting in a population increase. There was no road from Zhuzhan City to Shuqilin, but there was a pathway for ox carts to reach Kehuli. A transfer station was set up at the Wang Ye Miao, facilitating logistics to neighboring areas like Beipu and Emei. In June 1895 during the 21st year of the Guangxu era, Japanese forces invaded Zhuzhan City. The local militia resisted in the Kehuli area, building defense posts on the seventh neighborhood mountain, now known as Aicha Tuo. The Japanese were angered by the resistance and burned down the Wang Ye Miao and surrounding villages. After the war, in May 1897, the local community fundraised to rebuild the temple, constructing a five-room main hall and six horizontal rooms with rammed earth. By January 25, 1934, the statue of San Shan Guo Wang was restored. In May of the same year, the deity manifested again, saving the townsfolk who flocked to seek blessings. After Taiwan's restoration in 1945, the temple was renamed Fulong Temple. Due to weather damage and the deteriorating state of the mud brick structure, a reconstruction initiative began in 1981, leading to the establishment of the first management committee. On March 24, 1990, the temple organized a pilgrimage to Meizhou Mazu Temple, Nanshan Puto Temple, and other religious sites to pay respects and bring back a incense burner from San Shan Guo Wang's ancestral temple. A five-day celebration followed on November 27 of the same year, praying for good weather and national safety.
